Mitchell Robinson Wanted a Mazzulla Apology Before Joining Celtics
Boston's new center made his old tormentor say sorry for the Hack-a-Mitch treatment. His 50.8% career FT line means the strategy isn't going anywhere.
Elite rebounder, but FT woes and a new role cap the ceiling.
- 3-year, $47.39M deal with Boston this offseason
- 50.8% career FT shooter across 8 Knicks seasons
- Just 45.2% FT (14-of-31) vs Celtics in 2025 semis
- 23.2 fantasy pts/game in 2025-26 (60 games)
- Our rank: #159 overall, #29 among centers
Mitchell Robinson didn't just switch conferences this offseason — he made his new head coach grovel first. The 28-year-old center, fresh off a three-year, $47.39 million deal with Boston, told reporters at Media Day that he wouldn't fully bury the hatchet with Joe Mazzulla until the coach apologized for repeatedly hacking him during his Knicks days. Mazzulla did, apparently, even paying a visit to Robinson's home in Nashville to smooth things over.
The backstory is pure fantasy-relevant math. Robinson shot just 50.8% from the line across eight seasons in New York, and that number has only trended down from his 60% rookie mark. That made him a prime "Hack-a-Mitch" target, and Mazzulla leaned into it hard — in the 2025 Eastern Conference semis, Robinson went 14-of-31 (45.2%) at the stripe, including 10 attempts in Game 1 alone.
So now the guy Mazzulla exploited is anchoring his frontcourt. Robinson said he expects the partnership to be great, that they'll build together as the year goes on. Mazzulla, for his part, joked that he'll actually miss fouling him. It's a tidy reunion story — but the underlying free-throw problem didn't sign the apology.
What Boston Is Buying
The contract rewards a long-tenured interior defender coming off a strong playoff run as the Knicks' primary rim protector and offensive rebounder. That's exactly the archetype Boston needs. But note what Robinson isn't: a scorer. He posted 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists across 60 games in 2025-26, good for 23.2 fantasy points per game.
That production landed him at #159 overall and #29 among centers in our rankings — solidly a specialist, not a difference-maker. He'll block shots and clean the glass, but the free-throw ceiling remains a live liability, especially if opponents keep fouling him late in games. Encouragingly, his last five games ran +3.2 fantasy points above his season average, so he was trending up heading into the move.
For fantasy managers: Robinson is a category specialist, full stop. If you punt free-throw percentage in a roto build, his rebounds and blocks make him a sneaky late-round add. Everyone else should keep him on the watch list until we see how the Boston minutes and role settle. Don't reach for the story — reach for the boards.
